Field of the Invention
This invention relates to floor coverings and, in particular, to transitions between tile and carpet, and more particularly, transitions between vinyl tile and carpet tile when they are installed on a floor.
Description of the Prior Art
Transitions are known for providing a smooth transition between the interface of different types of floor covering, such as between adjacent pieces of carpeting, carpeting and tile, tile and carpet tile, and the like. Floor transitions, or transitions, are used for many reasons. For one, they provide an aesthetic appearance since they many times provide a smooth border between two types of floor coverings. Another reason is for safety since, if the two floor coverings have different heights, it is possible that a person crossing the border between the two types of floor coverings may trip if these coverings are at different heights. Additionally, if they are in places where wheeled carts travel, such as in hospitals where gurneys, bedside carts, medical carts, food service carts, instruments carts and the like are used, a smooth overlay between different heights of adjacent floor coverings avoid uncomfortable jostling and sometimes dangerous movement. Furthermore, providing a transition will lessen the discernment of changes in a floor surface by persons walking from one floor covering to another since they are less likely to feel the difference between rigid and carpeted floors.
There are many types of transitions within the art. U.S. Pat. No. 2,258,314 provides an edge molding for securing the edge of carpets, linoleum or other floor or wall coverings to the surface to be ornamented or protected. This of molding is large, readily noticeable and somewhat difficult to install. A rather complex device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,820,980, which provides a combined binding and anchoring portion for protecting the marginal edge of floor coverings, such as carpet and the normal floor, and requires the use of fasteners to secure the device to the floor. Another carpet holder strip is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,926,378, which can be used in pairs or individually between separate items of carpeting, but is also very noticeable and requires that the carpeting be of equal heights. A carpet-hard floor joint cover is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,980,943, which includes an elongated joint strip which can be bent in order to provide a transition between two types of floor covering, but it is very noticeable and also rather complex. A transition strip for providing a transition between the margin of a rigid flooring and the margin of adjacent carpeting is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,176 but is noticeable and includes structure for receiving cementitious material for holding tiles thereto. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,726 a resilient, semi-rigid molding strip is provided for installation along the edge of a linoleum floor surface and carpeting, but it provides a flat, readily noticeable upper surface between the two types of flooring.
Turning next to U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,192, molding strips are provided for covering an interface between tile and the floor upon which the tile is mounted. This molding has a number of components and is very noticeable when in use. There is a variable height, interlocking molding strip disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,784,238 which includes an elongate cap portion having opposing laterally-extending flange portions and an elongate, relatively thick depending wall portion that extends downwardly and has extending from it a series of horizontal rib portions which are engaged in a U-shaped channel portion when in use. This is a relatively large unit having two separate elements and is very noticeable when in use. Another noticeable unit is a transition strip which extends from a support which is disclosed in U.S. Publication No. 2005/0189723 which has a generally planar support surface which is fairly long and extends along a floor base, a vertical wall extending from an end of the floor base across which is a cap which includes a cantilevered construction and extends slightly downwardly towards the top of a carpet, and an opposing cap portion extending from the other side of the vertical wall for covering a flooring section. The entire cap is fully in view when installed.
There are various transitions for use between tile floors and carpeting, including those for use between hard tiles and carpet tiles. In some situations, an upstanding wall is provided from which extends in one direction a tail or base portion, the bottom of which is flat, for resting on the floor, and the tail having an upper section which is an inclined surface starting somewhat higher from the base of the wall and extending downwardly to the free end of the tail for extending between floor levels of different heights. A cap is provided having an overhang which extends outwardly from the wall for providing an overhang for the side of the wall without the tail and a lack of an overhang on the side of the wall with the tail. In the latter know transition, the overhang rests on top of the carpeting so that the top of the entire cap is visible when this known transition is in use. Furthermore, the tail normally extends under the carpet.